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So let's talk brake lines

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jackag91

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Before I put the body back on the frame, I am replacing all of the original steel brake lines on my tr6. Is it really worth it to go with the Stainless ones or the Copper ones?

None of the copper ones come prebent. How difficult is it to bend them? Besides a pipe bender would I need any special equipment?

Any recommendations for vendors?

I know the big 3 sell the plain steel ones. I also found classic tube.com for the Stainless ones. But I am having trouble finding the copper ones outside of the UK.


Finally, I didn't take enough pictures when I stripped the frame, so I am not sure which (or how many) clips go where. Any advice or information would be great.

Jack
 
The "copper" ones are a copper/nickle alloy tube...they call them "cupro"?

Steel lines have been around since the 30's and are fine for any application. They will probably outlast your car... but if you want to spend the extra $$$ it's up to you.

Bending tools are easy to find...buy a good quality one and it will last a lifetime. You'll also need a flaring tool kit...again buy a good quality one NOT a cheap Chinese import.
 
Copper lines are illegal in some states. Regardless of your own state laws, you should take that into consideration when making your decision.
 
I race a TR8. Re did the brake lines -- hand bent and flared -- twice.

Here's my thoughts.

1. For a street car, use the classic tube folks. I've seen their kit for a TR6 and it is awesome.

2. You don't need stainless. I guess if you are buying a kit, it may be ok, but you need to make sureyou get stainless fittings. I mixed and matched stainless and steel fittings and had all kinds of leak issues. Stainless lines will crush the seal cones in brass fittings for example.

3. I'd go with steel, and unless I was revising the circuitry, get classic tube. Did I say get classic tube?

If you revising circuitry, do NOT go stainless. It is a pain to bend and flare.
 
Jeff- Do you recommend Classic Tube :laugh:
 
I bought all of mine pre-bent from TRF. They fit perfectly and cost about $5 per line more for the bending. For me, it was worth it.

I have benders and a double flaring tool, but the British cars use a slightly different flare, if I remember correctly. In any event, I've bent hundreds of lines in my day and just didn't want to do these if someone had the jigs to make them "bolt on OEM style" for a reasonable price.
 
I bought a set of prebent stainless lines from classic tube and line. They fit perfectly.
 
jackag91 said:
Before I put the body back on the frame, I am replacing all of the original steel brake lines on my tr6. Is it really worth it to go with the Stainless ones or the Copper ones?

None of the copper ones come prebent. How difficult is it to bend them? Besides a pipe bender would I need any special equipment?

Any recommendations for vendors?

I know the big 3 sell the plain steel ones. I also found classic tube.com for the Stainless ones. But I am having trouble finding the copper ones outside of the UK.


Finally, I didn't take enough pictures when I stripped the frame, so I am not sure which (or how many) clips go where. Any advice or information would be great.

Jack
Click to expand...


Jack, I installed the copper/nickel brake line kit in my TR6 and couldn't be more happy with it. Very easy to install (no bending tools needed, bend with your hands) with now problems with brake fade or leaks. This type of material is very commonly used on some big-buck European cars. Recommend it highly. Moss is the only vendor that seems to handle it. About $160. Kit is pretty much complete.
 
Thanks for the info. It looks like classic tube it is.

Can anyone provide me with some help on the clips and other retainers? I know I can just count the holes on my frame and get the number of those. But what about the others?

I can't seem to find a diagram with the location of the others. The bently's manual and the online catalogs aren't much help.

Jack
 
I'm looking for the invoice from TRF. When I ordered my lines from Dave, I asked him to send me every clip needed for the brake and fuel lines along with the new lines.
 
Ditto for Classic Tube. We used thier stainless kit on Robyn's 1800ES. I toyed with the idea of bending them myself, but the Volvo uses a dual-circuit system (there's 18 steel lines & 6 flex lines) as well as less common cone-type fittings at many connections.

Also, you're looking at over $200 for a flaring tool that can flare stainless lines, and I've heard it's still a PITA.

For the price classic sells the kits for, I can't see any reason not to go that route. Even for just plain lines (which I bought for my Volvo) although when you compare them, the stainless option isn't really that much more $ (in hindsight, I wish I'd bought stainless).
 
I also used Classic Tube. It worked out well. I did have to rebend several of the lines to make them work. The length was correct, but the bends weren't. The stainless can be bent carefully by hand over a round wood dowel. The only other negative was that a few of the fittings weren't stainless.
 
David- Were they suppose to be stainless,or is that what they supply. I read above ,and wasn't aware, that stainless and non can have sealing issues?
 
I expected them to be stainless, but installed them as is. No sealing issues. Using Dot 5 fluid.
 
Stainless is such a hard material. They would require special fittings that are hard enough to not destroy themselves.

Jack, Living in Texas, you probably don't have so much of an issue with rusted brake lines. For that reason I would suggest against stainless and go with standard steel lines. Classic is the stuff for you.

Over here we have severe rust problems and the only way to go is copper. Easy to bend, easy to flare, never corrodes. Sticks to steel fittings after time, so replacing a wheel cylinder quite often requires replacing the copper tube also.

It is true copper was illegal in USA. I think that's changed, at least on a federal level. Some individual states may still be holding on to the old ways. The reason copper pipes were illegal was not because of safety (that was used as an excuse), but market protection, favoring American built vehicles over imports.
 
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